How do you refurbish a used razor?

Is there a standard tune-up process you guys use after purchasing a used razor?


I'm completely new at this and just picked up my first straight razor. It has been used, but seems in good shape and I don't see any nicks along the cutting edge of this one, which is in part why I chose it. I wonder if I'd be ok just honing it, or if it needs some kind of rougher sharpening first.


I've gone through cleanup/ tuning/ sharpening rituals with used hand planes, and wonder if there is a similar liturgy for straight razors.


Incidentally, is anyone familiar with the razor I just bought? It is a King brand, the model is Karbon King 5/8.


Thanks! :dropjaw:

Yes! King razors are very good. Mr. King put a big variety of names on his products. I have a "King Midas" and have had about 4 others with different names on them. One I remember was a King's "Hair Tested". Good American steel from PA. They don't really warrant a full resto, as to collectivity. I recommend to keep after hand polishing until you are OK with it and hone it/get it honed and Shave!
Yours looks to be a good shaver candidate.

Personally,

Unless the razor is in terrible shape I just take it apart, clean the scales ect, buff any rust/crap off the blade, give the whole thing a treatment with mothers metal polish, re-pin it back together then Hone it.

Unless I know the previous owner, I will kill the edge on glass and reset the bevel just so that I know where it is coming from.

Oh, and sometimes I'm too giddy to do any of that crap and just shave with it...

If needed, how would someone reset the bevel?
Would that be with waterstones? Sandpaper on glass? Bench grinder?

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Originally Posted by Bhip

If needed, how would someone reset the bevel?
Would that be with waterstones? Sandpaper on glass? Bench grinder?

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I use a shapton glass stone at the 1k grit. You can also use a piece of 1000k grit wet and dry automotive paper if you wish.

Send it to someone here to set the bevel and hone it. Get a benchmark edge on it. Maintain it and learn how to restore it later! Shave! TMO

Welcome to SRP. :)

LESS is more with a razor's edge. I set bevels with a 1K grit CHOSERA, and then work my up through 5K, 8K, and 12K.

Bench grinders and razors generally don't get along too good. Razor steel is as hard as it can be made and will break like glass. A bench grinder will help it along REAL quick.

You know what an edge ought to be for wood working stuff and a razors edge is WAY beyond that. you might think about sending that darlin' out to one of the guys here on the forum that hone razors for folks. There are several good ones. That way, you can see and feel what a razor's edge is supposed to feel like. At that point you'll have a good shaver and you can work your way further into this madness or toss it out the window if you don't like shaving with one. ;)

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Originally Posted by Wullie

Welcome to SRP. :)

LESS is more with a razor's edge. I set bevels with a 1K grit CHOSERA, and then work my up through 5K, 8K, and 12K.

Bench grinders and razors generally don't get along too good. Razor steel is as hard as it can be made and will break like glass. A bench grinder will help it along REAL quick.

You know what an edge ought to be for wood working stuff and a razors edge is WAY beyond that. you might think about sending that darlin' out to one of the guys here on the forum that hone razors for folks. There are several good ones. That way, you can see and feel what a razor's edge is supposed to feel like. At that point you'll have a good shaver and you can work your way further into this madness or toss it out the window if you don't like shaving with one. ;)

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What Wullie said! :chapeau

Yeah! What everyone else said!

Plus, don't mess with those bulky, expensive stones. Instead, get bevel [re]set and honed by a "pro", and learn to maintain it properly using a modular, pasted-felt strop. Oh, one more thing: Learn to shave with both hands.

Smooth shaving!

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Originally Posted by JBHoren

Oh, one more thing: Learn to shave with both hands.

Smooth shaving!

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We're supposed to both hands?

I've been using my feet all this time.............................................. .............";":w

Wullie is the resident jokester par excellant here, but his words carry iron (pun definitely intended). LISTEN TO HIM!!!

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Originally Posted by Wullie

We're supposed to both hands?

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Dang new fangled ways of doing things,,, I barely trust my left hand to hold a turkey leg steady while I knaw on it let alone drag 3 inches of the sharpest steel known to man across my Hollywood face... You daredevils have fun with that 2-handed stuff ";"

I've been letting SWMBO shave me for the past week...:tameshigiri:

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

I've been letting SWMBO shave me for the past week...:tameshigiri:

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Daredevil :D

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Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

I've been letting SWMBO shave me for the past week...:tameshigiri:

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Dude that's uh... well I think if SWMBO did it for me I would be her slave! Wait!!

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Dude that's uh... well I think if SWMBO did it for me I would be her slave! Wait!!

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You mean you aren't already?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA4DR4vEgrs

I take on a minimal aproach to restoration when I get a "new to me" razor, all but one of my collection are vintage. I inspect every part looking for damage, it's always there somewhere, and decide if I can fix or replace it.

The edge gets first inspection cause if it's toast nothing else will make that blade work. Than I move off to the rest in no particular order. Even if the edge is unservicable other parts may still be of use so I'll check and retain all servicable parts.

Scales can be tricky and one must test the scales with the kind of treatment one would expect for normal use. I've had some knock out beautiful scales shatter by simply opening the razor as well as having worm eaten horn scales hold up under adverse conditions. Pins, collars and wedges get the once over as well.

If all is well with a razor and I don't have to take it apart, I don't. I'll run it over the 1k Shapton Glass stone to see whats going on with the blade as a whole. Where are the grind marks? What is the wear like? Why is the new grind so far from the edge? and so on. I have had to come up with some goofy honing styles to match wear patterns at times. Warped blades made some rather interesting users come up with "warped" honeing techniques LOL

There are many more issues that pop up, That is why new users are strongly encouraged to send the blade to a knowledgable honemeister to work out the kinks. This also serves to give you a baseline to learn where an edge should be for shaving. I didn't do that right off and I thought I had a pretty darn good shaving edge... Till I got one from Bill Ellis... I was close but not that close :p With that proper edge I was able to really boost my game big time. Almost 8 years later I have not gone back to any other way of shaving (safty razors still give me the willies) :p

Welcome to the insanity :)

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Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

Welcome to the insanity :)

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It's quite populated in here... :P

Take a ride down to Cape and I'll show you how to set the bevel and hone up your razor. If you want, we can throw it on the buffers as well and brighten it up a little more.

Have fun.

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Originally Posted by Lynn

Take a ride down to Cape and I'll show you how to set the bevel and hone up your razor. If you want, we can throw it on the buffers as well and brighten it up a little more.

Have fun.

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And THERE you have it! I wish I had had this opportunity years ago. Go for it.
Atta boy, Lynn!